From Munich To Anand ✔

Chapter 2. The Woman

If anyone knows what I'm doing then woe to me. They will definitely kick me out. If I get kicked out then I won't be able to see Anand. It really torments me more than the torment from God. I can endure it but I can't be separated from Anand. We've been like Romeo and Juliet. If Juliet doesn't exist then Romeo doesn't exist either.

This slightly cloudy day with a drizzle, I started by visiting his only son. He was very upset after his fiancée dies. Even more devastated than his previous failure. I actually feel sorry for him. But, yeah, what can I do?

He was very fond of astronomy. His room was transformed into shades of black with ornate stars and asteroids attached to the walls. Replicas of the planets in the Milky Way is displayed on his desk. I don't know what made him leave his hobby and accept Anand's offer to become the heir to the company. In fact, in my opinion, he could be a great scientist. Ah, maybe there's something I don't know about him.

I sat on the chair watching Aditya who was fast asleep. The boy had just slept a few hours ago after having a sleepless night. The portrait of his lover is still in his arms. His face was pale and his eye bags were black. He seemed to be having a bad dream, as seen from his behavior which began to be restless in his sleep.

He suddenly opened his eyes. His gaze immediately fell on me and took me by surprise. He kept looking at me and trying to scream something but he couldn't get it out. I kept looking into his eyes. His body instantly stiffened and his mouth clenched shut.

Then his eyes closed. Not long after that I felt a very intense heat in my body. Like a great fire burning me. I couldn't hold it in anymore so I decided to just leave. I wouldn't sacrifice myself just for a small thing like this.

Damn, this time I failed.

"AMMA!"

Aditya shouts out loud. His breath hitched and his whole body was sweating. He hastily woke up from his sleep. His head turned left and right, looking for the woman. There's no one there. Where did the woman go?

His attention was distracted when the door to his room was opened carelessly. Alena and Anand ran to him with worried faces. He immediately hugged his mother tightly. For the first time in his life he was very scared.

"Amma, someone has sneaked into my room." he said shakily.

Alena stroked her son's hair gently. "Who? Do you know them?"

"A woman... Dressed all in black... Her eyes... stared at me intently then... suddenly I couldn't speak and couldn't move. I was so scared." Aditya stammers. He was still too shocked by what had just happened.

Alena looked at Anand. They shared a look of astonishment.  Anand looked around, paying attention to certain angles, but he didn't see anything unusual.

"Where was the last time you saw her?" Anand asked.

Aditya points at his desk with shaking hands. While Alena was busy calming him down, Anand went to check the desk. No sign of robbery. Everything on it is still neatly arranged. The drawers are still locked.

"She just disappeared. I don't know where she went." Aditya said.

"What do you mean by disappeared?"

"Literally disappeared. She didn't get out through the door or window. She just disappeared."

Anand rubbed his forehead which was starting to feel dizzy. "It doesn't make sense to me."

"It's up to you if you want to call me insane or whatever but what I'm saying is true. I'm not hallucinating. I definitely saw it."

Alena still didn't understand what was happening but she chose not to ask further. She didn't want to make things worse.  "Okay, okay. You seem tired. You don't need to go, okay? Just take some rest."

Aditya shook his head. "I'm fine. I'll go for Diya."

Anand and Alena looked at each other again. They decide to go with what Aditya said. They tell Aditya to get ready then immediately leave for Aunt Jenny's orphanage.

Aunt Jenny's Orphanage is an important annual destination for the Chatterjee. Even though it is quite far from their residence which is in the middle of the city, they are willing to travel ten of kilometers to spend time with the children in the orphanage, just to divert their time from the busyness that drains a lot of their energy. Today they came specifically to perform a prayer ceremony for Diya.

The old orphanage was managed by an old woman who was called Aunt Jenny. Anand knew her well. He couldn't stop thanking her for changing his life for the better after meeting Alena 32 years ago. That meeting meant a lot to Anand. If it weren't for Alena, maybe he'd be crazy by now. As a form of gratitude, he made the orphanage his family's annual charity place.

The long journey to the orphanage was taken in silence. Alena and Aditya sit together in the passenger seat. Anand didn't come with them for work reasons. While in the car, Aditya looks uncomfortable. He kept holding his shoulder while complaining of pain.

"Ma, my left shoulder hurts." Aditya twists his neck then grimaces softly. "And it feels hot."

Alena turns and helps Aditya checking on his shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay, son? Should we see a doctor?"

Aditya shook his head. "No, no need. I can handle it."

Alena just sighed while looking at her son worriedly. Since Diya's death, Aditya has always experienced weird things. She didn't even know what it was. She also doesn't know how to deal with it. She didn't t want to believe that it was the work of Diya's wandering spirit. But she couldn't refuse it. All suspicions point to it.

Her concern and astonishment were broken by the driver's voice. She didn't understand what the old man meant. While Aditya just obeys him.

"Just pray, young master. Recite any pray you can. It doesn't look like it's serious. Hopefully the pain goes away soon."

~ TO BE CONTINUED ~